Loeb Partners with Paramount Global and Inland Counties Legal Services to Support LGBTQIA+ Communities

In conjunction with Pride Month, seven Loeb Trusts & Estates lawyers collaborated with three lawyers from Paramount Global on June 8 to provide an Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) pro bono legal clinic for three LGBTQIA+ individuals in the Inland Empire who are clients of Inland Counties Legal Services (ICLS). Founded in 1958, ICLS is a legal aid nonprofit working to close the justice gap for people with limited incomes, disabilities or who are over the age of 60. 

The virtual clinic kicked off with a CLE training about AHCDs — written documents stating how an individual wants medical decisions to be made if they lose the ability to make them for themselves — presented by Matthew Kugizaki, ICLS’ pro bono director and a Loeb alumnus; Mischa Kennedy, the nonprofit’s practice group director of elder law; and pro bono coordinator Mahum Shere Asef. Afterwards, the volunteer lawyers teamed up to meet with ICLS’ clients for their virtual consultations. During the consultations, the pro bono lawyers provided legal guidance about AHCDs, including information about the importance of an AHCD in relation to gender identity. The teams also offered legal advice to the clients on selecting an agent for their AHCD and helped prepare their AHCDs. 

“This is ICLS’ first clinic of its kind supporting the local LGBTQIA+ community with Advance Health Care Directives,” said Matt. “We are grateful to Loeb and Paramount Global for their partnership in helping us bridge the gap in legal representation and improve the lives and rights of LGBTQIA+ people in our region.”

The Loeb pro bono team included Danielle Miller, deputy chair of the Trusts & Estates practice; partner Leah Bishop; senior counsel Sasha Bass; and associates Lily Walden Givens, Michelle Raaka, Emalie Sundale and Ruby Yang.